Written Answers Friday 23 September 2005

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many farmers who did not complete a 2004 Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) form are in receipt of a single farm payment.

Ross Finnie: A total of 2,277 businesses did not submit an IACS Area Aid Application (AAA) in 2004, but did submit an IACS Single Application Form (SAF) in 2005. This number includes new entrants, producers previously not required to submit an IACS form (such as small producers and sheep only farmers) as well as businesses with historic entitlement and no claim in 2004.

  No payments have been made as yet, as the payment window for the Single Farm Payment Scheme (SFPS), as set in the regulation, does not open until 1 December 2005, it closes on 30 June 2006.

Agriculture

Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average value is of the annual single farm payment received by those farmers who did not complete a 2004 Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) form.

Ross Finnie: I cannot provide you with the information you require, for the reasons I have outlined in my reply to you in question S2W-18834. This information will not be available until claims have been validated and payments made. The Single Farm Payment Scheme (SFPS) payment window runs from 1 December 2005 to 30 June 2006.

Agriculture

Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that existing deer farmers are given access to the national reserve for entitlement to the single farm payment.

Ross Finnie: No specific measures have been taken to ensure existing deer farmers have access to the national reserve. The decision to adopt the historic system for CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) Reform in Scotland was to assist the industry in moving to a more market-oriented business model, whilst at the same time delivering cross-compliance benefits. It was not the intention to bring currently unsupported sectors into the subsidy system, and indeed that is precluded by the EU Regulations. However, if deer farmers have other agricultural enterprises, which were previously supported by CAP subsidies, they may be eligible for an award from the national reserve.

Agriculture

Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to prevent unfair competition between new entrant deer farmers in receipt of the single farm payment and those who are established and currently receive no subsidy.

Ross Finnie: The reforms to the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) are intended to assist subsidised agriculture industry to become more market oriented, while at the same time delivering cross-compliance benefits. In choosing the historic system of reform, I took into account representations from unsupported sectors but I concluded that the particular circumstances of Scottish agriculture were best served by an approach to decoupling which minimised disruption and redistribution.

  I have ensured deer farmers are eligible under rural development regulation schemes. The Land Management Contract Menu Scheme (LMCMS) has specifically been open to deer farmers. I have also expanded the Farming Business Development Scheme (FBDS) so that existing deer farmers throughout Scotland can benefit. Deer farmers who have no entitlements will also be able to participate in Single Farm Payment Scheme (SFPS) through the trading of payment entitlements.

Dentistry

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14952 by Rhona Brankin on 14 March 2005, what the figures for applications, places and the ratio of applications to places are for 2005.

Lewis Macdonald: The information on applications received and available places at Dundee and Glasgow Dental Schools for 2005 are provided in the following table:

  

Year
Dundee Dental School
Glasgow Dental School


Applications
Available Places
Ratio of Applications to Places
Applications
Available Places
Ratio of Applications to Available Places


2005
513
67
7.6:1
562
88
6.4:1



  Source: Admissions Offices, Dundee and Glasgow Dental Schools.

Disabled People

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any national scheme which allows the issuing of temporary disabled persons’ parking badges for the use of temporarily disabled people.

Tavish Scott: There is currently no national scheme for the issuing of temporary Blue Badges for the use of temporarily disabled people. Blue Badges are currently issued for three years only. I am pleased to advise that temporary badges will be introduced for people with a clearly defined temporary mobility impairment which is deemed to last at least 12 months, but less than three years. This is as a result of the review of the Blue Badge scheme which the Department for Transport (DfT) has been leading and the Scottish Executive is currently working in partnership with DfT on a legislative timetable to introduce the changes at the earliest available opportunity.

Disabled People

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any national scheme which allows the issuing of temporary disabled persons’ parking badges for the use of people visiting Scotland.

Tavish Scott: The Blue Badge Scheme is a European-wide disabled parking scheme. Reciprocal arrangements exist between EU countries whereby EU badges are recognised in the UK. If a visitor is from a non-reciprocal country, then it is at the discretion of the local council as to whether they would be happy to recognise the disabled persons’ badge.

Employment

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any targets for altering the proportion of people aged from 16 to 65 in employment and, if so, what these targets are.

Allan Wilson: Under the Executive’s Closing the Opportunity Gap approach, there will be targets to reduce the number of workless people dependent on DWP benefits in seven priority areas - Glasgow, North and South Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, Dundee and West Dunbartonshire - by 2007 and 2010. The targets are subject to agreement with partnerships in each area. The aggregate target will be announced later in the year.

Enterprise

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many petrol stations have gone out of business in each of the last six years, showing the year-on-year percentage changes and broken down by local authority area.

Tavish Scott: The information requested is not held centrally. However, Office for National Statistics figures below show that the number of petrol stations operating across Scotland has fallen from approximately 880 in 1999 to about 700 in 2004.

  Number of Business Sites1 in the "Retail Sale of Automotive Fuel" Sector2 by Local Authority Area3, November 1999 - November 2004

  

Local Authority
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004


Aberdeen City
40
40
30
25
25
20


Aberdeenshire
55
50
50
45
45
40


Angus
15
15
20
15
15
15


Argyll and Bute
35
35
35
35
40
35


Clackmannanshire
5
5
5
5
5
5


Dumfries and Galloway
50
50
40
40
40
35


Dundee City
25
15
15
15
15
10


East Ayrshire
25
25
20
20
20
20


East Dunbartonshire
20
20
15
20
15
15


East Lothian
15
15
10
10
10
10


East Renfrewshire
10
10
10
10
10
10


Edinburgh, City of
35
30
45
40
45
45


Eilean Siar
10
15
15
15
15
15


Falkirk
25
20
20
20
20
15


Fife
65
65
55
40
40
30


Glasgow City
60
60
60
50
55
50


Highland
70
65
65
65
60
55


Inverclyde
5
5
0
5
5
5


Midlothian
5
10
10
5
5
5


Moray
25
25
25
25
25
30


North Ayrshire
20
20
20
20
20
20


North Lanarkshire
45
45
35
40
35
30


Orkney Islands
10
5
10
5
5
5


Perth and Kinross
40
40
40
35
35
35


Renfrewshire
25
25
30
25
30
25


Scottish Borders, The
15
15
20
15
15
15


Shetland Islands
5
5
5
5
5
5


South Ayrshire
20
15
15
15
10
10


South Lanarkshire
50
45
40
35
40
40


Stirling
10
10
15
10
10
15


West Dunbartonshire
10
10
10
10
15
10


West Lothian
25
25
30
25
25
20


Total
880
835
810
750
745
700



  Source: Scottish Executive, ONS (IDBR).

  Notes:

  1. Excludes central and local government.

  2. Petrol stations are classed as Retail Sale of Automotive Fuel by the UK Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities 2003 (SIC code 50.5).

  3. Includes June 2002 LA boundary changes between The City of Edinburgh and West Lothian and Glasgow City and Renfrewshire.

  4. Figures are rounded to nearest five in each local authority area. Totals may not equal the sum of the constituent parts due to rounding.

Ferry Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in what way putting the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services out to tender will produce more frequent services that are more dependable and are of an ever-increasing standard.

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in what way putting Clyde and Hebrides ferry services out to tender will reduce the cost of travel to and from the islands for island residents and how it will make travel to islands more attractive and affordable for tourists.

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in what way putting Clyde and Hebrides ferry services out to tender will increase the competitiveness of west coast communities in areas served by these ferry services.

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in what way putting Clyde and Hebrides ferry services out to tender will improve the environmental position of the west coast; what environmental standards will be set for any company delivering ferry services as a result of the tendering process, and what level of environmental monitoring of ferry services in the area will be undertaken.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has concluded that tendering a Public Service Contract for the network of services currently provided by Caledonian MacBrayne is the best way to meet the requirements of European law and thus protect the vital lifeline Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.

  The draft service specification for the Clyde and Hebrides lifeline ferry services (which was published for consultation in December 2004) will:

  Safeguard the services by prescribing the existing services and timetables as the minimum to be provided by the operator;

  Encourage bidders to propose improvements and enhancements to the services during the bidding process;

  Require the operator to regularly consult with stakeholders and ferry user groups to discuss improvements and enhancements to the services;

  Include a performance regime which the operator will be required to comply with. That regime will include strict punctuality and reliability targets for individual routes;

  Set the existing fares as the maximum to be charged during the first year of the contract (to be adjusted thereafter, if necessary, by CPI (Consumer Price Index));

  Require the operator to offer the range of fare options for passenger and vehicles as are currently provided. These include all of the concessionary fares that currently exist;

  Require the operator to foster tourism by providing comparable products to those currently provided - a key issue for the economic well-being of the Highlands and Islands. The operator will, however, be encouraged to bring forward innovative ideas on marketing initiatives which can facilitate tourism;

  Protect the services so that the Executive can continue to subsidise these lifeline services. Ensuring their long term future will contribute to maintaining the social and economic well-being of the island communities, and

  Require the operator to provide details on how their Environmental policy will recognise and take into account the environmental factors of the west coast of Scotland. The operator will also be expected to develop their management systems to take into account the unique and special factors that exist in and around the area of operation.

Ferry Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in what way putting Clyde and Hebrides ferry services out to tender will benefit workers currently employed by Caledonian MacBrayne; what direct benefits they will receive as a result of the tendering process, and what guarantees the Executive can offer those workers that they will be in a better position under an employer who is delivering the ferry services as a result of tender than they are under the employment of Caledonian MacBrayne.

Tavish Scott: The Executive attaches great importance to the future of the Caledonian MacBrayne workforce. Should another operator be successful in the bidding process, the Executive will do everything possible, within EU and domestic legislation, to secure their continued employment and the protection of their terms and conditions, and pension rights.

  On 12 September, I published an Information Pack entitled Clyde and Hebrides Lifeline Ferry Services – Scottish Executive’s Consideration of the Requirement to Tender. That document, at Annex C, sets out in detail the Executive’s plans for protecting the existing workforce. The publication has been sent electronically to all MSPs. Copies of the document have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 37526) and the document has been published on the Scottish Executive website at www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/09/09104007/40085.

Ferry Services

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18191 by Tavish Scott on 24 August 2005, whether Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd expressed an interest in bidding for the new Northern Isles ferry tender and, if so, why it was not listed in the answer.

Tavish Scott: I regret that some names were omitted from the list provided in answer to question S2W-18191. I am advised that the full list of organisations which expressed an interest in bidding for the new Northern Isles ferry contract is as follows:

  ASP-Seascot Ship Management Ltd

  Aberdeen Harbour Board

  Adsteam (UK) Ltd

  Anglo-Eastern Ship Management (UK)

  Braeside Shipping

  Burness

  Caledonian MacBrayne

  Clyde Marine Group

  Harrisons (Clyde) Ltd

  Irish Continental Group plc

  Milford Haven Port Authority

  Nor-Cargo Ltd

  Northern Marine Management Ltd

  NorthLink Orkney & Shetland Ferries Ltd

  Orkney Islands Council

  P&O European Ferries (Irish Sea) Ltd

  Pentland Ferries Limited

  Scot Ferries Ltd

  Sea Containers

  Serco Denholm

  Smit International (Scotland) Ltd

  Smyril Line Ltd, Shetland Isles

  Stephenson Clarke Shipping Ltd

  Streamline Shipping Group

  V. Ships

  Western Ferries.

Ferry Services

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of Caledonian MacBrayne’s annual subsidy is being spent on the company’s bid for the Northern Isles ferry routes.

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, given that it provides Caledonian MacBrayne with an annual subsidy, how it will recompense the expenditure of other contenders bidding for Northern Isles lifeline ferry routes in order to maintain a level playing field throughout the entire bidding process.

Tavish Scott: In accordance with standard commercial practice, all three companies that have been invited to tender for the Northern Isles lifeline ferry contract will be expected to finance their own bidding costs. As its owners, we would be content for CalMac to use its cash reserves to finance bidding costs. However, we would expect that were the company’s bid to be successful, it would recover those bidding costs over the contract period, plus a return equivalent to the interest that might reasonably be expected were that amount of the company’s reserves to have been invested commercially over the contract period.

  It would be prejudicial to CalMac’s commercial interests to disclose how much CalMac intended to spend on bidding costs. Comparable information from other bidders would not be available to CalMac and it is essential that all bidders should be treated equally.

Ferry Services

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive for how long the next Northern Isles ferry tender will run and whether it can guarantee that the routes will be retendered at the end of the contract.

Tavish Scott: The next Northern Isles contract has been offered for a period of six years, the maximum time allowable under the Community guidelines on state aid to maritime transport for a public service contract. The Executive expects that there will be a continuing need to support lifeline services to the Northern Isles for the foreseeable future, and that there will be a further competitive tender in time for the end of the next contract.

Ferry Services

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to protect staff interests in respect of the tender for the Northern Isles ferry service.

Tavish Scott: The Invitation to Tender for the next Northern Isles ferry service contract recognises the importance of the process for the existing marine staff, shore staff and management. Tenderers are required to provide details of their proposals on staffing in their tender documents. The Invitation to Tender also refers to the importance of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE), and advises that, while the issue remains a matter for interpretation of law, tenderers are invited to bid on the basis that TUPE applies.

Ferry Services

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is monitoring the conduct of NorthLink and subsidiary organisations towards staff under the current contract for the provision of ferry services in the Northern Isles.

Tavish Scott: The contract between NorthLink and the Scottish ministers for the delivery of lifeline ferry services to the Northern Isles does not cover relations between NorthLink and its staff. Accordingly, while we do receive occasional information on matters relating to the management of staff, we do not routinely monitor all matters affecting the terms and conditions of employment of NorthLink staff. Despite their offshore status, NorthLink’s staff are still protected by UK employment law.

Ferry Services

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who will be responsible for any redundancy payments to NorthLink staff in the event of any changes resulting from the tender for the Northern Isles ferry service.

Tavish Scott: The Invitation to Tender for the next Northern Isles ferry service contract invites tenderers to bid on the basis that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) apply as set out in answer S2W-19203. There would not, therefore, appear to be any need for redundancy in these circumstances. However, if it were concluded that TUPE did not apply, responsibility for any redundancy payments would rest with the current operator. If any redundancy payment arose in the course of the next contract period, it would be a matter for the contractor in the light of the terms of the staff contracts involved. Under the draft grant agreement, the grant available would be reduced if subsequently the support required fell because of consequential staff cost savings.

Fisheries

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether fishery protection staff and vessels are available at night and during weekends.

Ross Finnie: Depending on location, shore-based fishery protection staff operate a shift system that provides 24 hour coverage or a flexible working regime between the hours of 0700 and 2300 which do not include weekends. Arrangements are made to meet exceptional requirements on a case by case basis. Fishery Protection Vessels on task operate round the clock.

Fisheries

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the age profile is of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency fleet and how many replacement vessels are likely to be ordered between now and 2009.

Ross Finnie: The age profile of the Scottish Fisheries Protection fleet is as follows:

  

Vessel
Age (Years)


Minna
2


Sulisker
25


Vigilant
23


Norna
18



  A replacement for Sulisker is currently under construction at Ferguson’s of Port Glasgow. A contract for a replacement for Vigilant is being negotiated with Remontowa of Poland. It is intended to invite tenders for a replacement for Norna in 12 to 18 months time.

G8 Summit

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures were taken to provide the extra resilience necessary for the Airwave communications system during the G8 summit at Gleneagles.

Cathy Jamieson: O2 plc provides the Airwave network for the police service in Great Britain and it is for them to ensure the resilience of the system. O2 worked closely with the Scottish police service both in the run up to and during the summit to ensure network monitoring and performance. The network met all the demands placed upon it.

General Practitioners

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a full range of pain relief treatment is available at GP out-of-hours clinics.

Mr Andy Kerr: Patients in Scotland who require medical attention or advice for painful conditions and/or symptoms during the out-of-hours period first contact NHS 24. The out-of-hours period are those hours between 18:30 to 08:00 Monday to Thursday, and at weekends 18:30 on Friday to 08:00 Monday, and all day on those public holidays as agreed by each NHS board.

  Depending on the clinical symptoms or condition described, NHS 24 will direct patients to the most appropriate out-of-hours service for pain relief treatment. In most cases where urgent medical attention or advice is required for painful conditions or symptoms, NHS 24 will advise attendance at a NHS board out-of-hours (OoH) centre within travelling distance to where the patient lives for further assessment and treatment.

  Where attendance at a NHS board OoH centre is appropriate, patients will be fully assessed and provided with the clinically appropriate pain relieving medication for their condition. An immediate supply is given to the patient along with a prescription for further supplies if it is anticipated the patient may need this.

  Some patients may need pain relief delivered by injection or other means, rather than orally, and these would be available at NHS board OoH centres. Patients with terminal illness who may be on stronger pain relieving medication such as morphine derivatives would often already have supplies but, where this is not the case and there are clinical reasons for doing so, NHS board OoH services would be able to prescribe these drugs.

  It is important to emphasise that patient safety is paramount in all clinical situations including OoH services. If the patient needs pain relief which cannot be safely administered in a NHS board OoH centre, arrangements would be made to move the patient to another setting where their needs could be safely met.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many annual reports have been published by the Adding Life To Years Implementation Group; on what dates they were published, and when the next annual report is due to be published.

Lewis Macdonald: One such report was published by the Scottish Executive in December 2003. There are no plans to issue any further reports.

Meat Industry

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will consult on new country of origin beef labelling regulations.

Ross Finnie: We intend to consult shortly on country of origin of beef in the food service sector.

Meat Industry

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to include supermarkets and other retailers in any consultation on new country of origin beef labelling regulations.

Ross Finnie: The forthcoming consultation on country of origin of beef relates to the food service rather than the retail sector. The consultation paper will be sent to retail organisations to seek their comments on the proposals.

Meat Industry

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is engaging with the National Farmers Union Scotland and other stakeholders on country of origin beef labelling.

Ross Finnie: A stakeholder working group was set up to assist the Executive in identifying the issues to be covered in the forthcoming consultation on country of origin of beef in the food service sector. The consultation paper will be sent to NFU Scotland and other stakeholders to seek their comments on the proposals.

Meat Industry

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place for monitoring the animal welfare standards and health and safety records of beef producers whose produce is sold in Scotland.

Ross Finnie: The health and safety of all beef sold in Scotland is controlled by anti-mortem and post-mortem health inspections at the abattoir. Animal welfare in the EU is subject to EU wide legislation. Producers outwith the EU may need to comply with any national animal welfare legislation but compliance with EU welfare standards is not a requirement for export to the EU, as WTO rules prevent this.

Meat Industry

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to compel supermarkets to take account of the animal welfare standards and health and safety records of beef producers when deciding which beef to stock and sell.

Ross Finnie: I have no such plans. All beef for sale in Scotland, whether sourced from EU member states or third countries must have been produced to minimum hygiene and safety standards which apply within the EU.

Meat Industry

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to encourage Scottish consumers to buy Scottish beef.

Ross Finnie: Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) have a range of actions in place to encourage greater consumption of Scotch Beef. These include TV advertisements, in store activities, public information campaigns and healthy eating initiatives. The Executive supports QMS in their efforts.

Meat Industry

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce new measures to encourage Scottish consumers to buy Scottish beef.

Ross Finnie: The Executive has no plans to introduce new measures but it will continue to support Quality Meat Scotland in their efforts to increase consumption of Scotch beef.

NHS 24

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what facilities are available to direct patients with chronic conditions who contact NHS 24 out-of-hours to the appropriate service to treat their condition.

Mr Andy Kerr: When people with chronic conditions experience an acute episode during the out-of- hours period and they contact NHS 24, they will be assessed and triaged to receive the appropriate care for their condition at the time.

  NHS 24 and NHS boards are working together to continuously improve the directory of information that is used by call handlers and nurse advisers to inform decisions about where to refer patients who require access to out-of-hours services.

NHS Staff

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly qualified NHS staff have received a guaranteed one-year contract (a) nationally and (b) in each NHS board area in each year since the guarantee was announced, shown also as a percentage of all newly qualified health service staff and showing the year-on-year percentage change.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally.

NHS Staff

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which hospitals give a guaranteed one-year contract to newly qualified NHS staff.

Mr Andy Kerr: All newly qualified nurses and midwives in Scotland are offered a minimum of a one-year guarantee of employment if they are unable to secure a post through the normal recruitment process. The guarantee applies to available posts anywhere in Scotland and all NHS Operating Divisions may potentially offer the one-year employment opportunity to newly qualified nurses and midwives, where there are vacancies available.

Population

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many births have taken place in each NHS board area in each of the last six years, broken down by maternity hospital, showing also year-on-year percentage changes.

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many births have taken place in each NHS board area in each of the last six years, expressed also as a ratio of births to midwives and showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is already in the public domain and can be downloaded from www.isdscotland.org .

Renewable Energy

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland: Progress Report 2005 , what representations it has made to the Department of Trade and Industry in respect of changes to legislation and trading arrangements for electricity which impact on the generation and transmission of electricity from renewable sources.

Allan Wilson: No representations have been made by the Executive to the Department of Trade and Industry in light of the Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland: Progress Report 2005 , published on 31 August 2005. The Executive did however, make representations on the implementation of the British Electricity Trading and Transmission Arrangements (BETTA), following which the UK Government confirmed that it would exercise its powers under section 185 of the Energy Act 2004 to introduce a "cap" on transmission charges for renewable generators on Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles. The DTI issued a consultation paper on 27 July on what the level of the "cap" might be and whether such a scheme should also cover the mainland of Northern Scotland. The consultation period ends on 19 October.

Rural Development

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the impact of the closure of facilities, such as banks, schools and post offices, on rural population levels.

Ross Finnie: We value, and are continually improving, our evidence base for rural areas in order to inform our policies. We document key facts on rural Scotland, including population figures, in our annual Rural Scotland: Key Facts publication:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/09/08115837.

  We also have a research programme looking at rural services:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/08/10104938.

  Although no specific assessment has been made regarding the impact of the closure of particular facilities, we are committed to improving access to key services in priority rural areas as we work to maintain strong, prosperous and growing rural communities.

Scottish Natural Heritage

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost will be of relocation of Scottish Natural Heritage headquarters to Inverness, including the cost of the building and associated staff costs.

Rhona Brankin: The information requested is given on page 24 in Relocation of Headquarters , Project Plan , published by Scottish Natural Heritage in March 2005, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 35157).

Transport

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has the powers to introduce a renewable transport fuel obligation and what the reasons are for the position on the matter.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has no current functions in relation to introduction of a renewable transport fuel obligation. This is a reserved matter.

Transport

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the difference in the costs of car use between urban and rural Scotland.

Tavish Scott: Assessments undertaken by the Scottish Executive indicate that fuel prices in remote and rural areas of Scotland tend generally to be higher than in urban areas, largely resulting from higher distribution costs and low throughput. In contrast, in urban areas the retail market and the higher number of users, which reduces costs through economies of scale, help to keep prices competitive. However, fuel prices are only one component of total motoring costs. The distance travelled by motorists, insurance premiums, and garage costs are all factors that make up the overall cost. Some motoring costs such as insurance premiums and garage expenses can be lower in rural areas.

Voluntary Sector

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the voluntary organisations to which it has allocated (a) direct grants, indicating the amount awarded in each case and (b) indirect grants, indicating the amount offered in each case, in 2005-06.

Johann Lamont: I have today arranged for the release of a spreadsheet detailing direct and indirect grants to voluntary organisations in 2005-06. In 2004-05 the Executive will be providing £387 million directly and £136 million indirectly - £523 million in total - to the voluntary sector in Scotland. This is an increase of £119 million from last year, reflecting the Scottish Executive’s continued commitment to the sector.

  Copies of the spreadsheets are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 37519 and 37520) and the Scottish Executive website.

Wildlife

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much public money it estimates was spent on investigating the possibility of reintroducing beavers to Scotland.

Rhona Brankin: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has worked on developing proposals for a trial re-introduction of beavers over a number a years since the mid 1990s.

  SNH have assessed the costs incurred for the work which they undertook in the 1990s (including the 1998 public consultation, research on impacts of beavers on hydrology, fish and forestry, feasibility of re-introduction, population modelling and identification and evaluation of candidate trial sites) at £71,411 and they estimate that associated staff costs over that period amounted to approximately £100,000.

  From 2000, when SNH decided to develop a proposal for a trial at Knapdale, their additional research costs are assessed at £82,202 and SNH estimate that associated staff costs over this period amounted to £197,235.

  Forestry Commission Scotland (which is the owner of part of the land in Knapdale identified as a potential trial site) estimates that it has incurred costs of approximately £25,000 in connection with their investigation of the proposal.

  No separate record has been kept of time taken by the Scottish Executive or other public bodies in considering the proposals.